The Virtues of Kwanzaa

It isn’t often that you can feel virtuous after indulging in a holiday meal. What you usually feel is stuffed, sleepy and guilty about all those extra calories and grams of fat and sugar you just consumed.

If you’ve never celebrated Kwanzaa, now might be a good time. You can get the flavors of the holiday after investing only 30 minutes in the kitchen. And you won’t spend even one minute feeling guilty about what you ate.

MENU

Kwanzaa Vegetable Stew

Crusty Bread

Fruit sorbet

Kwanzaa Vegetable Stew

Active Work Time: 15 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes * Vegetarian

1 tablespoon oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 (6-ounce) bag mustard greens, chopped

1/3 cup currants

3 yellow squash, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups vegetable broth

1 cup water

3/4 cup couscous

1/3 cup chopped peanuts

* Heat oil over high heat in large saucepan. Add onion and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.

* Lower heat to medium and add mustard greens, currants, squash, black-eyed peas, coriander, cumin, cayenne, salt, vegetable broth, water and couscous. Cover and simmer over medium low heat until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over top before serving.

4 servings. Each serving: 265 calories; 1,090 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 11 grams fat; 32 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams protein; 2.53 grams fiber.

INGREDIENTS

STAPLES

Couscous

Coriander

Cumin

Currants

Oil

Onion

Peanuts

Vegetable broth

SHOPPING LIST

1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas

1 loaf bread

1 (6-ounce) bag mustard greens

1 pint fruit sorbet

3 yellow squash

GAME PLAN

30 minutes before: Chop onion, mustard greens and squash.

25 minutes before: Begin cooking stew, measure out spices.

5 minutes before: Finish stew, chop peanuts.